We were lucky to catch up with Annette Leslie recently and have shared our conversation below.

Annette , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

From Samantha:

“I want to share with you the impact your hootenanny delivery had during my two-year old’s cancer treatment.

Our son had just finished a second round of intense methotrexate that caused such severe sores in his mouth, esophagus, and stomach that even with continuous IV pain medicine, he went days unwilling to eat, drink, talk, or even smile. Those were incredibly dark days for our family, and we didn’t think we were ever going to see our playful-cheerful boy again.

Then one morning, a large orange surprise was delivered directly to our son’s hospital room. I’m not sure if it was the bright color or the mere grand size, but that bright orange ukulele your Foundation gifted our son distracted him from the intense physical pain he was experiencing. Playing with his very own ukulele was the first sign of joy we had seen from our sweet boy in what felt like years. His spirit was transformed because of your gift.

The Carson Leslie Foundation is delivering much more than toys. You are delivering comfort and hope to each child tethered to chemo bags and sequestered to their hospital rooms. It was a beautiful moment in time hearing ukuleles strumming from each child’s room on the cancer ward. Today our son keeps his ukulele right by his bed. The Carson Leslie Foundation’s generous impact is more than you will ever know. Thank you, Samantha

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

We stepped into the industry of childhood cancer when our bright-confident-athletic son was diagnosed with the most common type of the deadliest disease of our Nation’s children: brain cancer, specifically medulloblastoma. After a valiant, 3+year battle he whispered words I’ll never forget, “momma, I thought I was going to make it … make sure they study those tumors in my brain because if those tumors can help some kid some day not die from cancer like I am, I’d like that, and help next kid with cancer.” We launched a Foundation that bears his name, went right to work and have had tremendous success.

Our Collaborative Mission, helping kids fight cancer has 3 distinct pillars:

Mental Health of kids in the battle, awareness/action on Federal/State/Local levels and most importantly, identify and invest in transformative childhood brain cancer research.

Our work on the Federal level has been a bipartisan success. It all started under the leadership of Texas Congressman Michael McCaul who launched the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus in memory of his 4th grade buddy who died from cancer and when he became an elected official, he brought that pain in his heart to The Hill.

Carson kept a journal during his valiant fight for life and in the end, requested that it be published. Six days before he took his last breath, Carry Me was published, THOUSANDS of copies have been sold and proceeds go to the Foundation that bears his name. Texas Congressman McCaul received a copy of Carry Me, read it, called me up and invited me to share Carson’s valiant fight for life in his Washington, DC home. His living room was packed with Members, Senators, dignitaries, and a rag-tag group of 5 mom’s and dad’s who’d lost a childhood to cancer. Since then, that group has morphed into an Unstoppable, Bipartisan, Collaborative Global childhood cancer movement changing laws that benefit the overall state of childhood cancer.

Our Foundation launched an event in DC called the GOLDEN TOAST, for the childhood cancer community to gather and toast the accomplishments of working together. Last year, with a wide group of fellow leaders, were successful in having the WHITE HOUSE illuminate GOLD during the GOLDEN TOAST — gold is for childhood cancer like pink is for breast cancer.

Also, here in Texas we have the $6Billion Cancer Prevention and Research Institution of Texas (CPRIT) and I have the distinct honor of serving on CPRIT’s Advisory Committee on Childhood cancer. During my service, CPRIT made childhood cancer a priority investing over 12% of their portfolio into childhood cancer research making Texas the second-largest funder of childhood cancer research in the nation, after the federal government. Then, CPRIT then named their conference room the Carson Leslie Conference Room!

In partnership with CPRIT, we launched Researchers RoundUp. Together we bring investigators together to discuss, identify and encourage collaboration. Outcomes of Researchers RoundUp will help frame CPRIT’s childhood cancer RFA’s.

Working collaboratively and bringing resources together to fund the type of research necessary to bring less toxic treatments leading to cures for childhood cancers. Current childhood brain cancer treatment is a barbaric assault on children that has not seen significant advancement in DECADES. It is an honor to have been a leading influence in building the Unstoppable Childhood Cancer Movement we have today.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

We have an incredible Board of Directors with influence. Our BoD has opened doors and identified resources. Non-profits need to have a strong Board.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

Carry Me by Carson Leslie impacts our thinking and the philosophy of our Foundation every single day. Carry Me also impacted Congressman Michael McCaul who launched the Congressional Childhood Cancer Caucus in 2010. Tens of thousands of people have been significantly impacted by Carry Me and we receive letters and emails on a regular basis from people all over the world who read Carry Me and share how Carson’s words helped them understand the feelings of their child who is battling cancer and non verbal.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://carsonlesliefoundation.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrymecarson/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carsonlesliefoundation
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-leslie-20726225/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/carsonleslie3
• Other: GUIDE STAR: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/01-0945033

Image Credits
Annette Leslie